Tubular transit apparatus.



. 690,920. Patented lan. I4,

No B. H. BLUUD.

TUBULAR TRANSIT APPARATUS.

(Application filed Mur. 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

llNTTsn ,e STaTns nTnNT Ormes.

BRYANT H. BLOOD, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

TUBULAR TRANSIT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,920, dated January 14, 1902.'. Original application tiled November 3, 1900l Serial No. 35,388. Divided and this application tiled March l1, 1901. Serial (No model.)

To @ZZ wwnt t may concern:

Be it known thatI, BRYANT H.BLooD,a citizen of the United States,residin g atBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tubular Transit Apparatus, of which the following :is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in receiving mechanism for use in connection with the general class of pneumatic-despatch systems in which air under pressure is utilized as a motive force; and the present improvements relate particularly to mechanism by which the several parts of such a machine are operated and the functions of said parts more Vsimply and positively produced, and also to means for bringing a carrier within the receiving-chamber gradually and without rebounding.

The objects of my invention are to produce a more efficient and simple machine capable of performing the functions assigned to it in a safe and positive manner and the elimination of complicated machinery and jarring parts in the more delicate portions thereof. These objects 1 attain in the manner set forth and particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The matter of this application originally formed part of and was shown, described, and

claimed in my application Serial No. 35,388,

iiledv November 3, 1900, division of which application was required by the examiner.

Referring to the drawing, 1 isasection of incoming transit-pipe, and 2 a lantern-casting therein,provided with ports 3, leading to exhaust-piped. A receiving-chamber 5 forms a continuation of the transit-pipe 1 beyond the lantern-casting 2 and is normally closed at its outer end by a pneumatically-operated gate G. The gate 6 is rigidly connected by a connecting-rod 7 with piston 8,V working in cylinder 9, and said gate and connecting-rod are adapted to move in a chamber 10 of the gate-casting. The cylinder 9 is provided with a reciprocating valve-stem 11, carrying pistons 12 12 and working in barrel 13, which valve-stem 11 and pistons 12 12 admit pressure from a supply-pipe entering a chamber 14 of the valve-easing through annular port 15 to the upper side of the gate-piston 8 when said Valve-stem 11 is in its upper position, and exhaust air from the under side of piston 8, through annular port 16, to an exhaustpipe leading from a chamber 17 of the valvecasing. The reverse of this operation is accomplished when valve-stem ll assumes its lower position. A tension device 18, consisting of a contact-block, a spring, and an adjusting-screw, is provided to hold the valvestem 11 in whichever position it is thrown to by the friction of the contact-block against the valve-stem, which block is so held by the spring.

At either end of the valve-casing and in line with the valve-stein 11 are placed two cylinders 19 and 20 and pistons 21 and 22, working, respectively, in said cylinders. Springs 23 and 24 hold the pistons 21 and 22 in the outward positions normally. ,The pistons 2l and 22 are provided with piston-rods 25 and 26, respectively, which are designed to abut the ends of the valve-stem 11 when moved from their outward position. The spring 23 is strong enough to overbalance the line-pressure.

The chamber 10 is connected with the lantern-casting 2 or transit-pipe 1 by a pipe 27, in which is disposed a hand regulating-valve, such as an ordinary globe or gate valve 28. The cylinder 19 is connected with the chamber 10 by a pipe 29.

Just without the gate 6 is pivoted a trip-iinger 30, which has a crank portion 3l, which crank portion 3l is connected by a link 32 with a piston-rod 33, rigidly attached to a piston 34, working in a cylinder 35. The piston 34 and its connections are held normally in their outward position by a spring 36, disposed back ot' piston 34 and bearing against the end of cylinder 35. The cylinder 35 is provided with an intaking check-valve 37 and is also connected by a pipe 38 with cylinder 20.

A damper-valve 39 is provided in the eX- haust-pipe 4c.

Having now described the several parts of my improved device, I will follow out and describe the operation of tne same. A carrier arrives through transit-pipe 1 and passes ports 3, cushioning in the chamber 5, which is closed. by gate 6. It has often happened heretofore that the rebound of the carrier or IOC) successive rebounds due to the cushioning in chamber 5 has carried the carrier back, blocking up the ports 3 and obstructing the free passage ot air out of the tube. To obviate this trouble, I have placed a by-pass 27 from the outer end ot` the chamber o to the transit-tube at or back of the ports 3 and placed a regulating-valve 28 therein. By this arrangement I am able to allow the air forward of the carrier in chamber 5 to gradually ooze back to the4 line, coaxing the carrier as slowly as desired into the chamber 5 and freeing the ports 3. The eXcess pressure generated in chamber 5 by the impetus of the carrier as it enters is carried through pipe 29 to cylinder 19 and there acts on balanced piston 2l. The piston 2l, being balanced only to line-pressure, is thrown down by this excess pressure, carrying piston-rod 25 down. Piston-rod 25 abuts valve-stem 11, throwing it down and admitting air under pressure from chamber 14 through port 16 to the underside of piston 8, raising piston 8 and gate 6. As soon as gate 6 is raised the pressure from the line will push the carrier out of chamber 5 onto the table; but if said line-pressure is too weak to push the carrier out with the exhaust open the damper 39 may be momentarily partly or Wholly closed, allowing the pressure to back up and push the carrier out. As the carrier passes beyond the gate 6 it strikes the finger 30 up, drawing by means of the connections the piston 34 back against the pressure of spring 35 and sucking in air through the check-valve' 37. Whenv the carrier has passed beyond the tin ger 30, the spring 35 returns the piston 34: and other parts to their normal positions, forcing in a puff the air drawn in through check-valve 37 through pipe 38 to cylinder 20, where it forces up piston 22, which carries piston-rod 26 up, abutting valve-stem 1.1 and carrying that up to its upper position, admitting air to the upper side of piston 8 and closing gate 6. is now complete and the machine in readiness to receive another carrier.

Heretofore mechanical unyielding connections have been employed to return the valvestem 11 to its normal position, which connections being pivoted directly to the trip-finger soon gave ont owing to the striking force of the carrier as it raised the finger. It will be seen that my employment of an air-generator and the consequent air-cushion between the working parts avoids the detrimental jars and consequent ineiiiciency of the former methods.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the construction and details of the invention described without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now described the several parts of my invention and the operation of the same, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatusfor tubulartransitsystems, in combination with a receiving and cushion- The operation ing chamber, a by-pass connecting the forward and rearward ends of said chamber and a regulating-valve disposed in said by-pass, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In apparatus for tubulartransit systems, in combination with a receiving and cushioning chamber, a gate therefor and pneumatic operating mechanism for said gate, an airpressure supply for said pneumatic operating mechanism, a pneumatically-operated valve for said air-pressu re supply, pneumatic operating mechanism for moving said valve, pipe connection between said pneumatic operating mechanism and said cushioning chamber, pneumatic returning mechanism for returning said valve to its normal position, an airpressure-generating mechanism, pipe connection between said air pressure generating mechanism and said pneumatic returning mechanism, and a trip-finger for actuating said air-pressu re-generating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In apparatus for tubular transit systems, the combination with a receiving and cushioning chamber, a gate therefor, pneumatic operating mechanism for said gate, and an airpressure supply for said pneumatic operating mechanism, of a valve for said air-pressure supply, operating mechanism for said valve, pneumatic returning mechanism for said valve, an air-pressure-generating mechanism consisting of piston in a cylinder, a trip-finger and connecting means between said trip-iinger and piston, and pipe connection between said pneumatic returning mechanism and said cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In apparatus for tubular transit systems, an air pressure generating mechanism consisting of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a trip-nger, connecting means between said piston and trip-nger, inlet and outlet pipes for said cylinder and an intake check-valve in said inlet-pipe, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for tubular transit systems, an air-pressure-generating mechanism consisting of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a piston-rod, a trip-finger having a crank portion, a link connecting said crank portion and. piston-rod, a returning-spring, inlet and outlet pipes for said cylinder and an intake checkvalve in said inlet-pipe, substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for tubular transit systems, an air-supply valve consisting of a reciprocating valve member, a tension device for said member, cylinders adjacent either end of said valve member, pistons in said cylinders, returning-springs for said pistons, piston-rods integral with said pistons in alinement with said valve member and adapted to abut the same upon the movement of said pistons, substantially as described.

7. In apparatus for tubular transit systems, the combination with a receiving and cushioning chamber, a gate therefor and pneumatic operating mechanism for said gate, of an air- IOO IIO

pressure supply for said pneumatic operating mechanism, a valve for said air-pressure supply consisting of a reciprocating valve mem ber, a tension device for said member, cylinders adjacent either end of said valve member, pistons in said cylinders, returningsprings for said pistons, piston-rods integral with said pistons in alinementwith said valve member and adapted to abut the same upon the movement of said pistons, pipe connection between one of said cylinders and said cushioning chamber, pipe connection between the other of said cylinders and an airpressure-generating mechanism consisting of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a pistonrod, a trip-finger having a crank portion, a link connecting said crank portion and piston-rod, a returning-spring, inlet and outlet pipes 'for said cylinder and an intake checkvalve in said inlet-pipe, substantially as described.

S. In tubular transit apparatus, a valve, a

trip-finger for actuating said valve, and a resilient cushion between said valve and triplinger designed to impart movement from one to the other, substantially as described.

9. In tubular transit apparatus, a valve, a trip-linger for actuating said valve, and an aircushion between said valve and trip-linger designed to impart movement from one to the other, substantially as described.

lO. In tubular transit apparatus, a valve, pneumatic operating mechanism for said Valve, a trip-finger and a pressure-generating mechanism4 actuated by said trip-finger for supplying pressure to said pneumatic operating mechanism, substantially as described In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BRYANT H. BLOOD.

Witnesses:

IRA BERKsTREssER, LOUIS W. EMERIOK. 

